The Official Mascot of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games

3 year old Gaia takes the opportunity to get to know Karak in the Seychelles.

The striking South-eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii graptogyne) is the Official Mascot of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Learn more about Karak from the links on this page, or go the Education and Environment sections to learn more about our endangered habitats.

Mascots go head to head

24 Mar 06 02:43

In a day of hi jinks and high-spirits at the Athlete's Village, Melbourne's Games mascot Karak took on the other resident team mascots.

Paul Burgess, Kyle Vander Kuyp and Karak show off a four-week-old South-Eastern Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo.

New home for Karak

07 Mar 06 01:05

With fewer than 1,000 South-Eastern Red-Tailed Black Cockatoos remaining, new funding initiatives will provide new breeding grounds for the Games mascot.

Hiddink scores with HeroMessaging

23 Feb 06 04:02

Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink has become the first to send a Telstra HeroMessage which allows fans to send a message of support and congratulations to Australia’s athletes.

Karak with athletes Kyle Vander Kuyp and Paul Burgess

Athletes join Karak Junior's first birthday celebrations

28 Nov 05 23:35

Karak Junior, a South-eastern Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo and the younger cousin of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Mascot, Karak, today celebrated his first birthday at Healesville Sanctuary.

Andrew Gaze with students from Clifton Hill Primary School

Woolworths to be Bringing Kids to the Games

14 Nov 05 05:25

Supermarket retailer Woolworths, under its Victorian branded Safeway supermarkets, will be rewarding 3,000 Victorian school children with Games tickets in the Bringing Kids to the Games initiative.

Special Karak number plates push Games environment efforts

07 Sep 05 05:55

With only about 1,000 of this species remaining, 1,000 number plates featuring Games mascot Karak will raise money for organisations such as the Australian Bush Heritage Fund for Nature and Birds Australia.

Karak the Mascot

05 May 05 23:24

He is called 'Karak' after his distinctive birdcall. This native bird was chosen because he embodies the spirit of the Games. He is uniquely Australian and welcoming to all.

All about Karak

04 May 05 23:29

Playful. Loud. Friendly. Energetic. Handsome. Cheeky. Endangered. That's Karak, the South-eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.

Volunteers try and spot the South eastern, red-tailed black cockatoo

Volunteers join annual count for Games Mascot ‘Karak’

01 May 05 01:17

Karak, the official Mascot for the Games, today joined over 100 volunteers across south-west Victoria and south-east South Australia to participate in the annual count for the endangered South-eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo.

This Website is closed and for reference purposes only. To guarantee the stability of Games data, all external links are being removed.

See you at Delhi 2010

Fireworks at the MCG at the closing of Melbourne 2006.

After eleven fun packed days, Melbourne 2006 is now over and all thoughts turn to the next Games - Delhi 2010. Nameste! See you in Delhi 2010! Swagatam!
Revisit the Incredible India Closing Ceremony gallery.

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Events, arts, food and wine... there's more to Melbourne than meets the eye.
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